Canada Never Again

[Jim_and_Barb]

A friend and I were accused of being drug dealers at the boarder by the Canadian BP. Here is what happened We were flagged by BP to secondary because of my friends past 42 years ago when he was 18. When they were searching the Fiver they found three bottles of medications that belong to my wife. Who was scheduled to fly up and meet us in Anchorage next week. She put her Meds in the fifth wheel so she would not be without while touring Alaska. The Canadians were going to fine us for her Meds and accused us of being dealers. They stated that the fines would be in the thousands just for possession and hundred`s for each pill over 200 count, not hard when she gets 90 day supply. Then they wanted to fine me $500 for the pepper spray I had in my door that has been there for years I had forgotten about. In the end they took my spray and returned all of the Meds and asked us if we paid $3000 to see a group of supervisors they might or might not let us in and the fee was not refundable. My question is if we were the bad criminals the treated us as. Why did they give us back the drugs and asked us to leave Canada ??????? So BEWARE IF YOU OR YOUR SPOUSE TAKE MEDS MAIL THEM TO YOUR FIRST STOP IN ALASKA. This is why I will never again will I ever set foot in Canada. :M This was a poor attempt to shakedown us for $$$$$$$$$

[garyhaupt]

Due to the amount of scutiny at ALL border crossings, I am going to challenge the story of 'extortion'. Everything is filmed and stored. You need to write a formal letter to CDN authorities, they in turn, will ensure that your complaints are investigated. If you are not being truthful...you will not be welcome.

Gary Haupt

[lakeside013104]

Canadian border guard sees a person who is a criminal (once a criminal conviction is issued, one remains a criminal as this is a permenant record, forever).

Than prescription meds without the owner present are found.

Than an undeclared weapon (pepper spray) is found.

The Canadian border guard sees undesirable people in the vehicle and probably thinks, "What else are these folks trying to hide or what else are these folks not telling the "whole" truth about.

There are two sides to every story and I will bet the Canadian border guards side of this story has a different "cant".

Lakeside

[rockhillmanor]

Thanks for all the info from our fellow Canadians.
For those of you that Snowbird 'every' year to the states does it get any easier for you to cross the border when they see on your record that you do it every year?

[sue_t]

From some of the stories told here, it seems some American citizens have an easier time entering Canada than returning to their homeland.

I wonder what would have happened if a Canadian citizen with a criminal record arrived at the US border with a large quantity of someone else's pharmaceuticals stashed in their RV, along with other substances they did not declare.

[bgum]

During the investigation were you on the Group "W" bench?
They don't want you or your friend and now you don't want them. Move on life is too short.

[StewB]

Jim and Barb wrote:
Please note my friends problem was over 40 years ago and he paid for his indescretions 40 years ago . Here in the States people are given a second chance and not thrown out with the dishwater. What does Canada do with their people who have paid for their problems ?????? kick em out an tell them don't come back?

Your country will also stop someone from entering with a 40 year old felony conviction. In fact, the US is more difficult to get into with this. Before you go makeing statements about how it works in Canada you should check your facts. If one bad experience at one border crossing is all it takes for you to decide to stay in the US, Stay there.

[dennisgt60]

This thread is very educational as my wife and I look forward to visiting Canada upon our retirement next year. It's been 30 plus years since our last brief visit there and crossing back then was a breeze. The world has changed a great deal since then and we understand the reasons to be much better prepared and knowledgable with respect to laws/rules. Thanks to all for the education and we look forward to seeing Canada.

[Ozlander]

We went thru Canada several years ago on the way to Niagara Falls. Border lady asks, "Do you have any firearms?". How to answer this? The truth is YES, but not with us. Locked up in the safe at home.
The simple answer would be NO, but do they have access to the firearms registration? Would they know I told a Clinton?

I said YES, but that was followed by many questions.

[mogman]

Your "attitude" at the border crossing has a lot to do with dealing with the border guards. If you are polite, answer the questions in a courteous manner, "yes Sir, No Sir" all will be good. If you give the guard attitude, things may not go so well and can lead to complications for you.
Not saying this happened in the OP"s case, but we don't know.

[rwj146]

I was turned back several years ago because of a misdomeaner assault conviction from 1985. The Border Guards were polite but resolute, Do not enter. I had been given probation for the fight and the conviction was to be removed from my record, this didn't happen on the computer they were using. Truly embarassing.

I went through the Houston Consular Office and got a Rehabilition Waiver. Cost $200.00 and took 3 months.

I was told by the Consular Office that when my application was approved my record of conviction would be removed from Canadas database... Not so but it does show me as rehabilitated.

I hope that in time you (the OP) reconsider going back, beautiful country and some of the nicest people I have met in my travels.

[sue_t]

Seems to me they were giving you the option of paying a fine, at which time your circumstance could be elevated to higher authorities who could determine whether or not the felony would be waived, thus enabling entry into Canada.

As it is, they let you turn around and return to the USA. However, if they hadn't accepted your circumstance as true, your vehicle and RV could have been seized. Those who transport firearms and drugs without the proper paperwork across the border can have their rigs seized under the law.

Your anger shouldn't be directed at the border agents who were doing their job, and who apparently gave you the best option available.

[NCWriter]

I'm really sorry your trip got screwed up after probably months of planning. What an awful disappointment.

You haven't said much about your friend's response to this mess. Sounds like his background was what got the whole ball rolling. (When we entered Canada last year, it was nothing but friendly following the passport scan. No search, minimal questioning.)

Then the meds and pepper spray sealed the deal. Some of us have done dumb things, yes. We once put all our meds counted out in baggies (no original containers) for a long trip to Europe but luckily were never searched. Never made that mistake again.

But we all know we live in a different world than 15 years ago, and border crossing is serious, even though we think of Canada as our friendly buds up north. I'm putting myself in the place of the border guard who after an incident has to explain why he let the guy in the country who had three strikes.

The "shakedown" sounded more like - you can turn around or you can go see those supervisors regarding the fines for the drugs. Who knows, none of us reading the post was there. They didn't arrest you, so you had cost-free options.

Anyway, I wouldn't want to be in your friend's shoes after ruining my pal's vacation of a lifetime.

[VintageRacer]

It was probably a DUI. Canada doesn't permit anyone with an alcohol related driving conviction into the country, per the rules, although each border guard has discretion to over-rule that. No time limit either. 42 years or 42 days, same-same.

Brian

[John___Angela]

There are always too sides of the story but on the surface I don't see the controversy.

1. You had drugs that were illegal for you to carry across the border.
2. You tried to carry an illegal item (bear spray) across the border.

There is more to the story reference the 3000 dollars.

[westernrvparkow]

I didn't go to Harvard Law, but somehow I doubt that "indiscretion" was the crime your friend was convicted of. Maybe he was arrested for possession of a half gram of Marijuana and was fined $50.00 or maybe he just got released from prison after serving 40 years for felony murder.
If he was guilty of a serious crime most countries will have no interest in that person ever entering their country. How would you as an American Citizen feel if our border policies allowed Drug Dealers, Burglars, persons convicted of sexual crimes or violent crimes etc. to enter the US at will? And I seriously doubt the $3000.00 story. They may have told you that if you and your friend wished to pursue entering Canada there would be administrative hearing fees that are non-refundable that could eventually amount to that total, but it surely wasn't presented as an amount that could bribe your way into Canada which is how it was presented by the OP>